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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-09-24 Board of Health Minutes � � � � � ���� �� Board North c�"uK����8` ^°4��0"v" m,x K8eaKt0i Meeting Minutes 11mrsday_ September 24, 2015 � 7:00 p.m, no , 120 Main Street,2 B�wr0��c�� mMeeting Room North Andover, MA 01845 Present: Thomas Trowbridge,LorryFbder,Edwin Pease,Susan Sawyer,Michele Grant(2 members out) }. CALL TO ORDER � The meeting was called{o order u17:O5pm. � II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE � � Ill. PUBLIC HEARINGS IV. APPROVAL OFMINUTES Meeting minutes from June 25,2015 and August 27,2015 were presented for signature. MOTION was made hy Mr.FinJurto approve the minutes for June%5,2O1S,the motion was seconded by Mr.Pease,all were lo favor and the minutes were approved. MOTION was made by Mr.Fixler to approve the minutes for August 27,2015,the motion was seconded by Mr.Pease,all were io favor and the minutes were approved. V. OLD BUSINESS Vl. NEW BUSINESS A. 155 Boston Street—Stewart Allen,owner ofl5 5 Boston Street.Mr.Allen ioio violation of Mass DEP Environmental Code regarding a failed subsurface disposal system that has exceeded the allowed time for replacement. Michele Gruoi'9u6|in 8uo|t6 Inspector,Quvo the back ground history on the failed septic system at 155 Boston Street.Mr.Allen has an approved plan.With the permit extension act,this plan expires on September 30,2015.Mr.Allen approached the podium and addressed the Board.Mr. Allen explained that as of this week a permit was pulled,a contract was signed with an installation company,the plans are approved and he is ready to go ahead with the installation. Mr.Allen apologized to the Board for waiting so long to go ahead with the installation.Due to the previous engineer passing away,Mr.Allen needed to End an engineer to move forward on someone else's plans.JM Engineering will be taking on the job and Mr.Allen will send an email to the Health Department stating that.Mr.Allen stated that he was financially able to move on with the installation. Ms.Grant described the type of system that will be installed and the location of the system.The approved septic plan was shown to the Chairman and a discussion regarding the system ensued.Dr. Trowbridge asked Mr.Allen if his installer was aware of the time limit to get the new system into the ground. Due Wfi-oczingof the ground,there iou time limit in North Andover in which the septic season ends.Mr.Allen stated that his installer is well aware of the time limit.Mrs. Sawyer informed Mr.Allen that there iuustate tax credit for installing u new septic system and for Mr.Allen mcheck � with his tax accountant.Mr.Allen was not aware of the tax credit and thanked her for making him � aware of it.Dr.Trowbridge stated that other than the confirmation of the engineer,there is no � � 2015 North Andover Board of Health Meeting Page lof4 Board of Health Members: Thomas Chairman;Larry Filer`&8co�brdCle6';Francis P.MacMillan,Jr., M.D.;Joseph McCarthy,Member; Edwin Pease,Member Health Department Staff:Susan Sawyer,Health Director; Debra � DiDa6uo.Public Health Nurse;Michele Grant,Public Health Inspector;Lisa Blackburn,Health Department Assistant additional action needed by the Board at this time. Mr. Allen stated that he will have the information sent to the Health Department in the morning. VII. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS,AND DISCUSSION A. Mr.Fixler reviewed the roles of the BOH members and the Health Department staff. Some of the reasons why a person would appear before the Board of Health is to ask for local approval upgrades for variances on septic,ask for modifications for rules or regulations where they can't comply due to a hardship,businesses that fail to follow the sanitation code or food code,landlords/renters who might fail to follow the human habitation,failure to follow trash truck routes,swimming pools that might need a for variance to not have lifeguards,food labeling issues or recreational camps for children that fail to follow rules, or proper CORI's and SORI's. Susan Sawyer,Health Director,stated that recreational camps and most other applications are permitted in house and only come before the board if there is an issue.The BOH members also write rules and regulations to protect the public health. Mass. General Law gives the Board the right to act. The board consists of five members and the Health Department consists of; Susan Sawyer,Health Director,Michele Grant,Health Inspector,Debbie Rillahan,Public Health Nurse and Lisa Blackburn, Health Department Assistant.The BOH members give their authority to the agents in the Health Department to initiate, inspect,and advise.The agents act on the Board's behalf. Besides once a month meetings,the BOH members also have the same rights and privileges given to agents to go out to do Title 5 reports and perform all legal and administrative functions and inspections.Board members occasionally inspect complaints on housing and restaurants to see and understand what's going on and to see what they can do to help. Mr.Fixler will periodically go out on inspections and the purpose is to help the owner/manager to come into compliance with whatever problems they might be having.He is there strictly to help take the pressure off them and to work with them. If not in compliance, a landlord/establishment may be brought before a BOH meeting where they have to sit in judgement and the Board may issue a vote with restrictions that could be embarrassing and hard on a business.Mr. Fixler will work with owners of establishments to see what he can do to help them come into compliance. BOH members have the authority go out on these inspections with the BOH agents,which in turn give them a better understanding of what is done in the field and report back to the other BOH members to come up with suggestions or improvements. B. Mr.Fixler would like to clarify the language and wording on the regulations on the hauling and disposal of solid waste.Few words need to be clarified.He would like to do this at the next BOH meeting.Dr.Trowbridge suggested that it be done before the upcoming permitting season for issuing of the permits and placards.If the Board agrees on the changes,no public hearing is needed.There would need to be a vote on the changes and a notification would need to be published in local papers stating that there was an amendment to the regulation.Mrs. Sawyer thanked Mr.Fixler for all his help reviewing the document and that it was appreciated. Dr.Trowbridge clarified,from the previous discussion,that the authority rests with the Board and the Board assigns the staff at the Health Department as their agents.At times the Board members may need to go out and be the primary decision makers;however,the Health agents have the experience and knowledge of the regulations. The Board members are the public information officers and need to be included and up to speed on all issues. C. Permitting—With the food establishment permitting season coming up soon,notifications will soon be going out.The majority of permits run from January I"through December 3 I St.There are a few categories of permits that run on a different schedule.Mrs. Sawyer stated that food establishment renewals will now run from March 1St through February 28t''. With the holidays being a busy time of year for everyone,especially food establishments,it is best to get them off the January through December permitting cycle.Applicants will apply for their food permit thirty days in advanced of December 31 St this year.A notice will go out with all new permits stating that their 2016 permits will run from January 1,2016 through February 28,2017.After that,the permits will then run from March 1St through February 28`x.All other permit dates will remain the same. Only food establishments will change. Dr.Trowbridge asked if this is typical of other cities or towns running their permits come due on the calendar year.Mrs. Sawyer stated that it is typical but not the only way. Some cities and towns do it differently.North Andover have other permits such as tobacco permits, frozen dessert permits and swimming pool permits that come due in different months as well as funeral director permits.Mrs. North Andover Board of Health Meeting Minutes Thursday-- September 24, 2015 "7:00 pan. 120 Main Street,2"d Floor Selectmen's Meeting Room North Andover, MA 01845 Sawyer stated that the food code is very specific stating you can do whatever you want as far as changing permitting dates. D. 2016 BOH Meeting Agenda—In 2016,the Selectman's Meeting Room will not be available to hold the BOH meetings.The dates for the BOH meetings for 2016 have been set.Mrs. Sawyer gave the Board members a list of meeting dates for 2016. and asked that they check to see if there are any dates that need to be changed. With the Fire Department building being completed soon,the Community Development offices will be moving within another year and there will be shuffling around of departments.The town will advertise properly where next year's meetings will be held as the Selectman's Meeting Room will not be available next year.The dates are already set for next year's BOH meetings.Mrs. Sawyer gave the Board members the dates and asked to check if there are any dates that need to be changed. The dates need to be submitted to the Town Manager so that a meeting room can be set up for 2016. Due to other departments having meetings on the same nights as the Board of Health,Mrs. Sawyer suggested that that best bet for the 2016 meetings be at the meeting room at the North Andover Police Department. If the Board has a meeting where there will be a larger audience or a public hearing,the meeting location could always be changed.The meetings are the 4`t' Thursday of every month except for December where the third Thursday is recommended.Dr. Trowbridge stated he could not attend the first meeting in January 2016.The dates have been checked for the Massachusetts school vacation dates. The Board agreed to meet on December 15,2016 instead of the December 22,2016 date. E. Flu Clinics—Mrs. Sawyer stated that there was a small flu clinic today at the Senior Center as well as one held last week. Since the public health nurse has only received a small amount of doses,there haven't been many clinics set up. The family flu clinic,which is well attended,will be on Monday, October 19`x'at the High School.The date will be advertised.A discussion ensued regarding flu and pneumonia shots. Quadrivalent is being offered this year.There is a sign-up sheet for pneumonia shots for people over 60.Although a date has not been set yet,Mrs. Sawyer stated that anyone interested can call the Health Dept.to be added to the list.A discussion ensued on pneumonia shots.Mrs. Sawyer also stated that the Health Dept. is pre-purchasing the shingles shot in small amounts since it is expensive at$185.00 a dose. Some insurance companies cover it but Medicare does not.For those whose insurance does not cover the shot,the Health Dept.can offer the shot at a discounted rate of $150.00 a dose and is also trying to look at a possible grant to the help out the ones who need the shot the most but cannot afford it. VIII. CORRESPONDENCE/NEWSLETTERS IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION made by Mr.Pease to adjourn the meeting.Mr.Fixler seconded the motion and all were in favor.The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 pm. 2015 North Andover Board of Health Meeting Page 3 of 4 Board of Health Members; Thomas Trowbridge,DDS,MD,Chairman;Larry Fi-der,Member/Clerk;Francis P.MacMillan,Jr., M.D.;Joseph McCarthy,Member; Edwin Pease,Member Health Department Staff:Susan Sawyer,Health Director; Debra Rillahan,Public Health Nurse;Michele Grant,Public Health Inspector;Lisa Blackburn,Health Department Assistant Prepared by: Lisa Blackburn, Health Dept.Assistant Reviewed bu All Board of Health Members&Susan Sawyer, Health Director Si nedb � . ,p✓ Larry Fer, Jerk oft e Bo r d Date Signed